Published: Wednesday, October 2, 2013 at 2:31 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, October 2, 2013 at 4:59 p.m.

BUNNELL — Flagler County is taking a 10-second bite out of the Big Apple.

An electronic billboard on 42nd Street in New York City, between 7th and 8th avenues, is featuring a short video produced by the Flagler County Department of Economic Opportunity on the county's theme of “Business to Beaches.”

The last-minute opportunity came after another group canceled its placement on the electronic billboard and Flagler County was offered the space “at a tremendous discount,” according to Helga van Eckert, executive director of the county economic development agency.

The $15,000 cost for the space was split evenly between the Department of Economic Opportunity and the Flagler County Tourist Development Council.

Van Eckert said the video was produced completely in-house and features a man in a business suit walking on the beach at Flagler Beach past a chair and a surfboard where he throws off his suit, picks up the board and heads for the ocean.

The video began running Oct. 1 and will continue every hour on the half-hour, 18 hours a day, through Jan. 2.

“We're excited about it,” van Eckert said at a meeting of the Economic Opportunity Advisory Council, where the video was previewed. “We're going to market the fact that we're marketing in New York City.”

Van Eckert said the effort is part of a strategic plan promoting Flagler County to prospective businesses.

“We've been putting in a lot of focus on getting Flagler County's word out there,” she said. “We're starting to get some great exposure.”

She said the billboard is near a high-rise office building where several site selectors and other businesses are located and the foot traffic in the area is “tremendous.”

Economic Opportunity Advisory Council member Bob Cahill said he thinks the billboard project is a great idea, especially as the temperatures begin to fall up north.

“In November and December, when it gets colder and wetter, that billboard is going to get better and better,” he said.

Van Eckert said the billboard measures 25 feet by 20 feet and showed a clip of the billboard playing the county's video. She said the county was able to produce the completed video in under three weeks by using county technical staff. She said local businesses also participated in the effort, including Z-Wave Surf Shop and Sully's in Flagler Beach.

“It is wonderful exposure for the county,” Van Eckert said. “It does nothing but help us in our efforts.”

<p><span class="Dateline">BUNNELL —</span> Flagler County is taking a 10-second bite out of the Big Apple.</p><p>An electronic billboard on 42nd Street in New York City, between 7th and 8th avenues, is featuring a short video produced by the Flagler County Department of Economic Opportunity on the county's theme of “Business to Beaches.”</p><p>The last-minute opportunity came after another group canceled its placement on the electronic billboard and Flagler County was offered the space “at a tremendous discount,” according to Helga van Eckert, executive director of the county economic development agency.</p><p>The $15,000 cost for the space was split evenly between the Department of Economic Opportunity and the Flagler County Tourist Development Council.</p><p>Van Eckert said the video was produced completely in-house and features a man in a business suit walking on the beach at Flagler Beach past a chair and a surfboard where he throws off his suit, picks up the board and heads for the ocean.</p><p>The video began running Oct. 1 and will continue every hour on the half-hour, 18 hours a day, through Jan. 2.</p><p>“We're excited about it,” van Eckert said at a meeting of the Economic Opportunity Advisory Council, where the video was previewed. “We're going to market the fact that we're marketing in New York City.”</p><p>Van Eckert said the effort is part of a strategic plan promoting Flagler County to prospective businesses.</p><p>“We've been putting in a lot of focus on getting Flagler County's word out there,” she said. “We're starting to get some great exposure.”</p><p>She said the billboard is near a high-rise office building where several site selectors and other businesses are located and the foot traffic in the area is “tremendous.”</p><p>Economic Opportunity Advisory Council member Bob Cahill said he thinks the billboard project is a great idea, especially as the temperatures begin to fall up north.</p><p>“In November and December, when it gets colder and wetter, that billboard is going to get better and better,” he said.</p><p>Van Eckert said the billboard measures 25 feet by 20 feet and showed a clip of the billboard playing the county's video. She said the county was able to produce the completed video in under three weeks by using county technical staff. She said local businesses also participated in the effort, including Z-Wave Surf Shop and Sully's in Flagler Beach.</p><p>“It is wonderful exposure for the county,” Van Eckert said. “It does nothing but help us in our efforts.”</p>